


Midnight maladies

by Shrek (uuulysses)



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Oh boy it started out as fluff, Post-Finale, Werewolf!Danny, mention of blood/slight violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-04
Packaged: 2018-02-28 03:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2717021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uuulysses/pseuds/Shrek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny has been missing for two weeks and Carmilla has endless nights to search. In the Summer Society woodlands Carmilla finds that Danny's been suffering, and both characters begin to dwell on their relationship with Laura.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight maladies

Night-time was a complex time for Carmilla; humans had always felt so distant to her anyway but night-time always increased the rift she so desperately hated. She was constantly aware of the sleeping bodies, tantalisingly close, as the vampire traversed empty streets. Heightened senses always ready to pin-point whatever gains her interest, yet tonight Carmilla wasn't endlessly passing time. Tonight she had been sent on a mission by Laura.

She smiled considering this fact. Laura, since the beginning of their relationship had been so painfully aware of Carmilla's sleeping patterns, she knew of her girlfriend's dull and lonely nights, often sending her out on errands to preoccupy her time, or even bringing home particularly challenging books (in the hopes that Carmilla wouldn't just finish it in a couple of days, a habit Laura was particularly focused on as she often stated “Books are meant to be enjoyed, Carm. You can't rush or you might miss something important.”). However, tonight's mission set the dark haired girl on edge. Tonight's mission she did not look forward to; Laura had to convince her, over and over, because Carmilla knew tonight would not be easy. 

Danny hadn't been around for the past two weeks. Worryingly she hadn’t shown up to Laura's English Literature class at all, the unusual behaviour had been the main topic of conversation between the couple for the past few days. And frankly, it was driving Carmilla absolutely insane. So when Laura asked if her if she would be kind enough to spend a night looking for the tall TA, Carmilla had jumped at the opportunity. Because she knew if anyone could hunt down a six foot, ginger werewolf it was her. 

Cautious and graceful, Carmilla approached the dense woodlands Summer Society had seemed to claim as their own. Like a gust of wind the dark haired girl was careful not to disturb the forest floor, she was revealing in the freshness of the gorgeous Autumn night. Wishing the night could have been spend by herself, in tranquil solitude. But (although she rather throw herself down a flight of stairs than admit) worry had been plaguing the recess her mind, much to her dismay she felt a kindred solidarity with the wolf. They had an unfortunate amount in common; Laura, literature, love and loss. Carmilla began scowling at the thought. Danny was hot-headed, borderline controlling and frankly not a whole lot was known about her. That fact alone unnerved the vampire, because Danny had seemingly achieved a comfortable state of outsider-ship with little to no effort. Perhaps she was more in-tune with her summer society sisters or perhaps she was attempting to hide the wolf inside her, constantly threatening to rear its head. The latter Carmilla felt sympathy for, Danny was a young wolf, and like most people with a similar 'affliction' to theirs the young often took nail-biting precautions to hide what made them supernatural.

As she continued to walk, pondering the mystery behind Danny's disappearance her nose finally honed in on a scent that was unmistakably the taller girl's. Like scattered dirt on dying embers, a feral scent of dark summer nights, raw meat and wet leaves with an undertone of human. As if Danny was caught in human and animal purgatory; neither one nor the other. Carmilla could make out a shadow slumped against a sturdy pine, the shadow's chest rising and falling out of sync with abrupt bursts. Had she just shifted back to her human form? The shorter girl began approaching, deliberately letting her footfalls get louder as she slowed. The shadow held it's breath for a second.

“I know you're there.” Danny's voice was hoarse, worn and uneasy. The statement had tumbled out in one quick breath.

Carmilla sauntered closer until she stood a few feet away, opposite the wolf propped up against a tree trunk, she was breathing hard with her nails digging into the moist moss of the woodland floor. “I was going to say the same to you, Gingersnap.” The vampire's voice was deliberately low and husky, as if their conversation was at risk of being heard. The forest was ever so dense and both girl's senses remained so heightened they could locate the nearest rabbit asleep in it's hole without moving a muscle. Yet Carmilla never raised her voice a single octave.

Danny snorted in response. “Laura sent you, didn't she? No way did you come looking for me on your own.” Her question was rhetorical as the TA refused to meet Carmilla's eyes and subsequently refused to acknowledge an answer. They both remained for a few seconds in silence until Danny finally looked up at the vampire. She was struck by how imposing Carmilla looked in the pale moonlight, looming over her, she was no longer aloof and uninterested rather her lips were pursed by defiance. Danny felt vulnerable, dirty and sweaty. But Carmilla was immaculate as always. 

Unable to stand her gaze any more, Danny looked up through the leaves. Patches of stars appeared to her, clouds and foliage blocking their reach. She heard Carmilla sigh in exasperation but continued to admire the night sky. The moon stared back like the unwavering eye of God, Danny used to curse its presence but tonight its illumination was calming and somber. Tonight the moon may as well have been an old friend.

“Where have you been?” Carmilla drawled like she was squeezing an answer from the wolf, but she was met by no reply. The smaller girl attempted to search Danny's skyward face, it showed no signs of even having heard the question. Sighing and beginning again, “I said; where h-”

“I heard.” Danny cut her off abruptly. “Please,” she looked at the vampire, eyes begging for her to leave “I've just been busy. I've jus-” her voice broke slightly and Danny quickly cleared her throat awkwardly, then returned her gaze to the vampire looming over her. “Please, I just- I don't want to talk... It's nothing, really...” Voice trailing off, but eyes defiant and stoic, she was shocked when Carmilla descended to sit next to her on an elevated rock. They were now the at each others eye level.

Danny smiled and shook her head. “Why are you so insistent on doing this,” Carmilla met her smile with a smirk “You found me, I'm safe and alive. No more worried Laura”

“No more worried Carmilla, as well.” The vampire corrected.

The TA exhaled a humourless laugh before putting her head in her hands. “Sure. Absolutely.” She chuckled sarcastically before running her hands through thick red hair.

Carmilla was smirking now. “Well, my favourite Amazon pup goes missing, I was in bits.” She hoped to be easing Danny down a bit, who sat with her shoulders tense and lidded eyes of long sleepless nights. Danny was an over-wound clock waiting to break, waiting to explode. Carmilla was dismayed to see the taller girl grimacing at her attempt at affection.

“I'm not pup,” Danny began, quietly, almost to herself “I'm a monster.” 

For a moment they both sat in absolute silence. Only the sound of rustling leaves dared to disturb the pair's somber moment. Carmilla felt Danny's words like lead in the pit of her stomach, they reminded her of how she also struggled to come to terms with the morality of her condition. She knew nothing she could say would change the wolf or how she felt.

The demons of Carmilla's shaky past began to swirl in head. “Why would you say that?” She demanded with furrowed brows, sounding like an offended child. 

“Because monsters don't get happy endings.” Danny sighed, deeply and achingly, unable to lift her eyes from the forest floor.

Carmilla stared at her profile, so solemn at her own statement as if Danny had truly convinced herself it were true. “You know,” the vampire began “a few months ago I would have been inclined to agree with you.” Carmilla offered. Yet suddenly, after the words had left her mouth Carmilla was struck by the realisation the Danny's 'happy ending' was Laura. Danny was hurting and Carmilla's presence must only act accentuate her feeling of loss.

The taller girl had not outwardly reacted but Carmilla could see the slight squint in her eyes, as if she was desperately trying not to wince or perhaps even stifling a tear. The vampire hoped not to dwell on it because Laura had certainly been her 'happy ending', she had started as the villain of Laura's story and when she had begun to fall for the younger girl Carmilla had readied herself for the pain. When she had felt the tightening in her chest when Laura smiled at her, acknowledged her, even if she was just in the same room as her; Carmilla had felt her long dead heart flutter. Everything in her body had told her to leave, to simply move rooms. Because she had felt the same dreadful, debilitating rush when she had first met Ell. The intensity of those emotions had been few and far between since Ell died, her mother believed the extremes she felt were liquid weakness seeping from Carmilla's pores, her mother had told her she could smell the failure on her and that had frightened Carmilla. It took her young, impressionable mind centuries to realise that succumbing to her emotions was not a sign of weakness, rather they were displays of her humanity eagerly rearing itself.

Looking at Danny now, she saw her humanity being drained from her, tense jaw and furrow brows betrayed her calm exterior. Centuries ago Carmilla would have been impressed by this stoic display of detachment but now she felt an unnerving sense of obligation. The vampire's hand deftly made it's was on top of Danny's which had been resting on the right thigh of her crossed legs.

Immediately, Danny flinched and looked down at the hand on top of hers, then to Carmilla in utter bewilderment. “Please,” The smaller girl began “I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry.” She had begun to lean more towards the wolf, her voice was hushed yet completely lacked sincerity. Almost as if she had witnessed a display of true apologetic sincerity and was simply acting it out.

Danny felt a growl begin in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to wait for Laura to be ready, the TA had planned to ask her to the end of year formal dance. She had thought by then they would know each other, by then they both would truly have fallen for each other. Carmilla had stolen that future from her, Danny stared deep into the vampire's dark eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of some evil. Something, anything. Just as long as it's something she can protect Laura from. Danny knew she saw Carmilla for what she really was, she wasn't a person, she was a caricature of a human. A vacuous, telegenic vampire; and right now this second Danny hated her. But Laura loved her and Danny needed to defile her, she could smell Laura on her breath, her clothes, Carmilla was carrying her very essence like an accessory. 

Carmilla must have sensed a shift in the atmosphere because she began to retract her hand. But the taller girl grabbed it with her other hand and yanked Carmilla towards her, their faces just inches apart. 

“You definitely weren't thinking,” Danny breathed. Carmilla felt her hot breath wash over her face, stinking of raw meat. “You never think, do you?” Her words were venom and the vampire made no attempt to move away, instead opting the defiantly raise her chin. Rage built inside the wolf like a cup threatening to overflow.

“What do you think you're doing, dog?” Carmilla spat, she was warning Danny now and the growl she had been suppressing finally left her throat. “Reconsider.” The vampire hissed through gritted teeth, punctuating every syllable by tightening her grip on the wolf's hand. 

But it was too late, in a surge of confident aggression, Danny had lunged at Carmilla. Their mouths meeting in a rough display of hateful passion. The hard sound of teeth hitting teeth was palpable in the silent forest. She had to defile her, she had to ruin Laura's image of her perfect heroic vampire. The taller girl's eyes squeezed shut, tears welling up in the corners; whereas the smaller girl's eyes were open and bewildered staring at thick lashes and tears that were now beginning to fall. Carmilla pushed Danny away by her shoulders but the wolf quickly moved one hand to the back of the smaller girl's neck and the other the hold the small of her back, preventing her from moving. Danny's strength, her senses and her emotional response were all heightened by her monthly hunt. She was a slave to the beast inside her, telling her to act. She could feel the moonlight beating down on her, like the rays of a sweltering sun, urging her on.

Carmilla was struggling and pushing harder, eyes closed in concentration, her muffled protests fuelling the wolf. Danny finally came up for air, which she sucked in with a guttural moan. Carmilla immediately barked “Stop!” before she opened her eyes and saw aggressive streams of tears falling from Danny's bloodshot and searching eyes. “What are yo-” Carmilla was promptly cut off by her own groan when the wolf sunk her non-human canines into the vampires neck.

At this point Danny had lost control of her own motive, she had hoped to make Carmilla feel how she felt. To suffer the same pain and the only thing her inner beast had directed was to bite her, and now her teeth had bypassed skin, she felt Carmilla shaking and struggling under her, the vampire pushed and pushed against her weight, whilst stifling a whimper through gritted teeth. Danny smiled despite her disgust when the metallic taste of the smaller girl's blood reached her lips. 

Immediately, the taller girl abruptly pushed the smaller away. The move was so sudden and violently executed that (regardless of her reflexes) Carmilla found herself on her back on the ground. “What is wrong with you?” The vampire demanded angrily, moving a hand to feel her neck and glancing up to Danny's mouth red with her blood.  
“Usually dogs can control themselves better than this, you stupid mongrel.” Rubbing her neck, face scrunched in betrayal and rage.

Danny felt at a loss for words, the beast had suddenly left her, and it had left her all alone. She didn't want to lie any more, didn't want to hurt. Yet, sat in front of her was someone she had just that second hurt. Carmilla rose to her feet and crossing her arms, waited expectantly for an explanation. The taller girl couldn't stand to look directly at her, the vampire's scorn was almost palpable like a cold wind, reddening Danny's cheeks. “I'm sorry,” Danny finally spoke up “I-I don't know what came over me, I just- I...” Her knuckles were white with tension as she clenched and unclenched her fists.

“Peachy! A mutt in heat.” The vampire spat, she glared down a the wolf willing her to meet her gaze. Yet, she never did and Carmilla sighed “Go home Danny.”

The taller girl finally looked up. “What?”

“Just go,” Carmilla sounded worn-out and tired “I'll tell Laura you're alright.”

Danny immediately scrambled up, she looked at the vampire incredulously before turning on her heel and sprinting in the opposition direction. With the wind whipping in her eyes and the weight of a thousand unspoken troubles, the wolf began to succumb to her tears. The rhythmic pounding of her legs like a war drum conjuring courage to it's warriors felt apt for Danny, she ached, from the annual shift and from the mentally draining night. She desperately needed a long, unforgiving slumber.

...Carmilla stood, dark eyes searching the forest as the wolf bounded out of sight in a few long, deliberate strides. The smaller girl was finding it impossible to brush off the encounter, she could barely admit to herself that dark fascination was pooling in her stomach, like bile threatening to rise. 'She caught me off guard' Carmilla thought, 'it was only a moment of weakness'. Torn between never wanting to encounter the taller girl again and wanting, no, almost needing to chase her down, demand and explanation. 'How dare you make me feel this way, mutt. What do you want from me?' Carmilla began to notice her sharp nails digging into the flesh of her palm, she was tense and agitated. She needed to go home and not tell Laura the details of their encounter in the Summer Society woodlands that gorgeous Autumn night.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, so apologies for everything ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
